Stay Inspired Without Body Shaming

At the start of any health journey, most people feel great. They have more energy, they’re eating cleaner and they start to see changes when they look in the mirror. As the journey wears on, though, this positivity tends to subside. If you’re reading this, chances are, you’re in that boat right now.

1. Beat the Body Guilt

When you flip open a fitness or fashion magazine, what do you find? Most of the time, the bodies that splash the pages are much different than your own. It’s your responsibility to look at this and other forms of media and know that it’s OK not to have a model’s long-and-lean physique. It’s harder than you might think, considering just how pervasive these images can be. If you need to, try and take a hiatus from the forms of media that make you feel bad about yourself. Self-care can help you avoid this guilt, too, so stick to your fitness plan for an extra boost of confidence.

2. Talk Highly of Yourself

In a similar vein, a lot of body shamers have a negative perception of their bodies. This attitude is incredibly pervasive, which means it will have a negative effect on your entire outlook. Start talking and thinking about your body in the highest regard. If you have trouble with this, imagine that you’re chatting with a friend about her figure. You would never be as harsh as you are on yourself.If you keep this up, you might just start believing the little voice in the back of your head. This new attitude will inspire you to maintain your fitness regime since you know it’s working and, hey, you know you look great.

3. Give Yourself Wiggle Room

It’s next to impossible to eat perfectly day in and day out. It’s also a bit of a bummer to think you can never indulge in your favorite foods. Find a happy medium so that you can still enjoy pizza, ice cream, chocolate, cookie. Whatever it is that you typically crave. If you allow yourself to indulge now and then, you won’t feel deprived, which will make you more likely to stick to your regimen and feel great about yourself.

4. Make Negatives Into Positives

You’re looking into the mirror and you don’t like what you see. For some, this could be reason enough to quit a fitness regimen: Why should I bother if it’s not working? We propose that you use these little imperfections to inspire you to continue. If you want leaner arms, add a few more bicep curls to your weight-lifting routine. If you’re feeling lazy and restless, take a brisk walk through your neighborhood. You’ll feel better right off the bat and, down the line, you’ll probably see the fruits of your labor.

5. Skip the Scale

There’s perhaps nothing more deflating than working hard at the gym for a few days, stepping on the scale and seeing zero changes. That’s why you should avoid the scale for a while. Experts say the same thing: Don’t weigh yourself for a while but continue doing your thing. Let the way that you feel and the changes you see in your body be your inspiration.

6. Practice Self Acceptance

All of these steps lead up to the most important one: No matter where you are in your fitness journey, it’s important to practice self-acceptance. For some, it’s as simple as omitting the negative dialogue, as we mentioned above. For others, it takes a bit more dedication to such activities as meditation with the theme of self-love.No matter what you need, you should always be proud of your accomplishments, your healthy lifestyle and the body that powers you through it. Achieving self-acceptance is one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding, tasks you’ll ever take on; once you have, though, you’ll never need more inspiration than what’s inside of you.